Semantic Fluency and Memory

Semantic fluency is naming as many items as possible from a category within a time limit — a non-visual detection test for cognitive decline (as in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases). It measures semantic memory, working memory, and executive function. Semantic memory is the brain’s long-term storage of conscious knowledge that can be explicitly recalled. It’s our “mental dictionary” (facts, concepts, words) representing what we know about the world — not tied to specific personal experiences or timeframes.